(2) if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, (3) how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery
(5) which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets. (6) that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel.
The letter to the Ephesians was written by the Apostle Paul – possibly as a circular letter to be read in all the churches Paul had founded in Asia – while he was a prisoner in Rome. This letter teaches God’s sovereign plan; the fellowship of Christians in the church as the body of Christ and the reconciliation of the universe – all creation – in Christ.
In the verses we study today Paul tells his readers that the mystery revealed to him to communicate was a direct revelation of God’s word to him to proclaim authoritatively. Paul’s teachings were to be verified by signs and miracles and become foundations of the Church. This mystery revealed to Paul to dispense is the inclusion of Gentiles in the kingdom of God in equal standing with Jewish believers in Christ. This long hidden purpose of God regarding Christ – not for Israel only – was that every bit of life finds it’s final solution in the Lord Jesus. The call to the Gentiles was predicted but the full import of the call was not known until this revelation. What was not predicted was that Jews would not have a privileged position over Gentiles. The great truth was that Gentiles should be fellow heirs of God’s promise in Christ by the gospel. The relationship between Jew and Gentile is the one new man, in peace, by the cross.
It was difficult for Jews to accept that Jews and Gentiles would form the “one new man” – one body, the church. This “corporate relationship” is a logical consequence of the gospel that God accepts all who believe in Christ crucified and risen. This is the revealed mystery and this is a stumbling block for Jews.